Falling Hard
by Feichin LeFay
Summary: *Ch 5 up* When people first fall in love, they fall hard, Mokuba can tell you that, espeically if you fall for someone who's absolutely off-limits to you for so many reasons. Shouen-Ai
1. Falling hard

Mokuba smiled quietly to himself as he watched Yugi on the swing, and then tugged on his older brother's coat.  
  
"What is it Mokuba?" Seto asked as he looked down.  
  
"Can I play on the equipment? Please..." He pleaded giving him what Joey had nicknamed 'Bambi Eyes', knowing it is Seto's one true weakness.  
  
"All right...." Seto gave an exasperated cockeyed grin, "but don't wonder too far, and stay off the wheel, you gotten yourself sick the last time you were playing on it." The older Kaiba complied as he sat on the park bench.  
  
"Okay, hey, will you play with me?" He asked cheerfully, though he already knew that the answer was 'no'.  
  
"I can't, Business you know." Seto sighed as he ran a hand through his chocolate-colored hair. He wished that he could play with his little brother more, but he's behind enough in his work as it is.  
  
"I'll see you later then!" Mokuba laughed as he bolts off, startling Seto by the fact he didn't even attempt to convince him that he should stop working so much. Ah well, he thought, it either means Mokuba knows better now, or that there's something he's not telling me... damn, why would his brother be secretive if that's the case!  
  
"Come on Darkness, I'm sure you can push me harder!" Yugi's soft voice giggled as he slowed to a stop on the swing.  
  
"Partner, I don't want to push you too hard." Yami's cool voice alerted the ten year old that Yugi was not alone as he first presumed. "But... I'll try to," He added as he pushed his light a bit more forcefully then before.  
  
Mokuba ducked behind a tree, not wanting either the Hikari or the Yami to see him. He let out a tiny sigh of sadness, so small was it that not even the squirrels in the branches above could've heard him. Look how happy Yugi was with his other half, doing something so simple as playing on the swings. I mean, not that Seto doesn't play with me, it's just that the frikkin' Kaiba Corp is consuming all of his time now.... he sighed again as he looked at the older boy more closely.  
  
Huh? He thought as he gasped. Why did my heart just skip a beat? Oh lord, I'm blushing as well! Stop blushing; I'm not doing anything embarrassing! My gosh... Yugi looks so pretty-wait! Since when did I think of him as pretty? Well, of course he is... Am I getting what Hotaru said she had on our teacher. a 'Crush?' Well she said when she sees Mr. Takanashi her hearts get crazy and she looses her ability to speak, and get all googly- eyed and mushy! Yuck, I'm not doing that! Though... I can't stop watching him... I better go before-  
  
"Hey Mokuba!" Yugi called out cheerfully as he smiled, unintentionally making the younger boy's heart launched itself into his throat, and nearly melted from the soft playful grin.  
  
"Uh... Hi..." Mokuba started nervously as he slid into the kiddy seat next to Yugi even though he's too big for it. The younger brother found that he's unable to look at Yugi straight in the eye; it didn't help that the darkness was watching him with a curious expression on that usually stoic or smirking face.  
  
"So Seto is working again, isn't he?" Yugi asked as he pushed himself slightly, eyes following the movement of the lazy clouds.  
  
Mokuba nodded slightly, wondering how even with all the things happening as so far in the year of how the older teenager can still be so sweet and carefree. Is it because Yami's always on guard to watch him, or is it just his nature to be soft and unrestricted like the clouds above? Good Grief! Mokuba, you're getting mushy! He silently told himself off, he sighed as he looked up not really paying attention to either golden sun or azure sky. I'm not mushy... I'm in love! But it's no excuse to start talking all gushy! Boys aren't supposed be mushy and gushy, or liking it! That's what girls do!  
  
"Is something wrong?" Yami asked, desperately hiding the smirk threatening to turn his lips.  
  
"Nothing...." Mokuba retorted, puffing his chest out slightly. "I was..... just wishing that he wouldn't have so much to do, I really want him to push me on the swing set, or go on the teeter-totter.... you know, be Seto Kaiba, my brother, not Seto Kaiba the excu-cu-whatever that is he's called when he's working." He told part of the truth.... he guessed that it will be nearly impossible to lie to a ghost, dark side, or whatever the heck Yami really is.  
  
"I bet it must be hard," Yugi started as he hopped off his swing. "Say, I know it's not a good substitute, how about if we play with you until you have to go home," He giggled as he bats his eyes at the spirit. "How about it, do you want to Mokuba?"  
  
"Yea!" Mokuba chirped, sounding more excited then he meant, and hoped beyond hope that they didn't notice. Immediately Yugi almost dragged him away. "Hey!" He yelped, startled by despite the age difference that Yugi doesn't act much older then him.  
  
"Let's hurry before my other half can find a reason to object!" Yugi laughed, though he loves Yami to death, it's just that he likes to have other people to play with as well, as they say, variety is a spice of life.  
  
"All right," Yami agreed slowly, suppressing a chuckle as he watched his Hikari and his somewhat-rival's little brother climb onto a teeter-totter, marveling how the most absurdly simple things could be the most enjoyable. And if he read Mokuba's odd change in attitude correctly... this could be quite fun, though Yugi may label it 'Just Beyond Cruel' if he knew... Well, why should he know about? It just makes the game all the more fun! Yami smirked as he leaned against a tree, keeping an eye out for anyone who may try to harm the two.  
  
"Thanks for playing with me!" Mokuba panted his face red from running all over the park, and from simply being around Yugi. "I better go back to Seto before he thinks some Bastard took me!"  
  
"Mokuba! If Seto heard what you said..." Yami trailed off, remembering Yugi telling him of that the one time that Seto caught Mokuba swearing... Having soap in one's mouth doesn't sound too pleasant of an experience.  
  
"Oh, as long as I don't do it around him, or anyone who'll snitch, I'm perfectly okay!" He waved the two's concerns off. "I should be going." He added quickly, and bolted off, before the adrenaline from the tag game wore off and let his 'mushy-gushy' feelings be displayed for the whole world to see... Good God! Not only Yugi looks nice, he's one of the nicest people one could ever hope to meet! I wonder why Seto doesn't see that? I mean it's obvious... no wonder everyone likes him!  
  
"Mokuba, you're face is red, what happened?" Seto questioned as he looked up from his laptop.  
  
"Oh... I was just playing tag with Yugi!" He exclaimed with out thinking, and was rewarded with the sound of grinding teeth. "Awww... come on Seto, I know he beaten you in Duel Monsters, but he's super nice, and I'm sure you can beat him someday!" He added quickly, not wanting to upset his older brother.  
  
"Let's go... We need to get something to eat." The older Kaiba responded as he got up, mussing his little brother's pitch-toned hair.  
  
"Hey! I wish you stop messing up my hair!" He whined, though his heart was not into it, like it usually is.  
  
"How about pizza?" Seto asked, smiling down.  
  
"Yes, please." He nodded slightly, not really paying attention to Seto as he watched the sky with a dreamy expression. Is there any reason why he feels like this? Well... Why ask? He thought to himself. 


	2. Worries in the Night

The pizza of an above average quality, though to Mokuba's appetite, it might as well have been spoiled brussel sprouts, as he nibbled on the tip of the same slice for the last half-hour, not noticing it was getting cold.  
  
Why did my heart so badly... when I left and saw those two under the tree, Yugi was laying on the Spirit's lap, why did I felt like someone stuffed my heart into a hornet's hive? I mean... I use to do it with Seto when I was younger and he would read me stories... But, he told me two years ago that I was getting too old for it, then how come Yugi does the same thing and no one tells him he's acting like a baby! I should... No, I don't think I should ask Seto.  
  
"What's wrong Mokuba? I usually have to fight tooth and nail to get even a single slice, and tonight you're letting your one slice get cold." Seto questioned as he flips the channels then out of sheer boredom switches it onto an American program that lacked color and subtitles just for the noise to break up the abnormal silence.  
  
"Seto," He looks up, trying to crawl onto Seto's lap, "Will you tell me a story?" He looked up at Seto, adding a little pout to his lips to empower his Bambi eyes even more.  
  
"Don't you think you're a little bit too old for stories?" Seto questioned, startled by Mokuba's sudden request. He hasn't asked that in a long time! What's going on? He thought to himself.  
  
"Please...." He pleaded as he made eye contact, batting his eyes.  
  
"Mokuba! You're too old to sit in my lap!" The older brother yelped as he saw where his kid brother was sitting now. He scooped him up, and lays Mokuba next to him. "You sit here, not on my lap; you're too big for that."  
  
"But at least tell me a story!" Mokuba insisted, knowing he can't get on Seto.  
  
"We don't have any storybooks anymore, we got rid of them." Seto shook his head, his resolve dying faster then a may fly.  
  
"Then make one up!" Mokuba called out, and then closed his mouth, startled by the volume and intensity in his voice.  
  
"I'm not any good at that," Seto laughed as he shook his head, hiding a wry smile, seems like hanging around with the morons is actually teaching Mokuba to be more assertive, maybe they aren't so bad after all... he pondered.  
  
"Just try...."  
  
"All right," He sighed as he leaned back against the sofa, trying to think of one. "Let's see. In a land far away in another time, there once lived a young prince. Despite being a prince, he was not happy because his Mother, the Queen was so watchful over him that he felt like a prisoner in his own house, being suffocated under all her love. One day, while the Queen was receiving guests, he decided that he would run away and be free, and so...."  
  
At this point, Mokuba's mind started to wonder again, playing back the afternoon in the park, prodding into every detail, asking questions that are becoming more and more ridiculous. Why him? Why me? Why not, why not earlier, or later? What in the world will Seto think? Or Yami... or even Yugi? I can't tell anyone! They'll just laugh at me, and tell me I'm being an idiot... Does Yugi know? Oh God I hope he doesn't! I can't possibly face him if he did! I wonder if he... Now you're being stupid Mokuba! How could you think-?  
  
Mokuba started to squeal with laughter as Seto pounced on him. His older brother danced his fingers all over his stomach, causing him to giggle and squirm.  
  
"Stop! Heheheha! S-s-stop... Stop!" He cried out as he kicked in the air.  
  
"You ask me for a story, and yet you don't pay attention! I should get you for it!" Seto laughed maniacally as he tickled his little brother mercilessly. After some minutes, he pulled away. "It's bed time, Mokuba." He stated simply.  
  
"Awwwww... Can't I stay up just a teensy bit longer?" Mokuba pleaded between catching his breath.  
  
"No, you got school tomorrow, off you go." Seto herded him upstairs and nearly have to drill him into getting ready for bed. "Mokuba, It's late, and I'm not in the mood to put up with this nonsense, now can we hurry up and go to bed?" He groaned as he grabbed his toothbrush.  
  
"Good night big brother!" Mokuba called out as he leaps onto his bed.  
  
"Good Night Mokuba," Seto smiled in spite of himself as he closed the door, and went into his room.  
  
"Now what, I'm not sleepy..." He whined as he stared up at the glow in the dark stars that he and his brother put up last year. He plucked fuzz balls off of his pajamas, giving out such a melodramatic sigh that would make any Shakespeare enthusiast give a standing ovation. "Mokuba, you are being silly, this may not be a crush after all, but say... some psychological..." He stopped, feeling quite silly for using a word he doesn't know the meaning of, but it sounded very grown up and oddly appropriate for this. "Reason.......... maybe I'm just really jealous of Yugi and won't admit it, I mean everyone likes him, and Yami plays with him, they're kinda like brothers, right? I mean......... Ah! My head hurts......... This isn't getting me anywhere! Maybe things will clear up when I wake up." He rationalized as he snuggled under the covers.  
  
His mind flickered at a fleeting memory of having to double up with his older brother in Orphanage because the place didn't have enough beds, and how safe he felt with Seto's arms around him, and his breathe brushing against his ear, even when it had irritated him to no end. Mokuba then started to wonder why it was okay for kids to share beds and sit in the adult's laps, but teenagers and adults can't? After all the only real difference he saw is that teenagers and grown-ups are generally bigger (Yugi's a big exception to this rule) and can do more things. Grown-ups are confusing and weird, and Seto isn't helping by not explaining things to him; he wondered if his smart older brother even knew why there are such age restrictions on how one behaved with others? It seemed like the older one get, the less one can be affectionate with another unless they're married.  
  
Ugh......... Shut up brain! I want to sleep, stop giving me these awful headaches! Life's not fair! Why does it play such cruel tricks like this?! How come Seto can't be allowed to be a kid? How come people have to be mean like Pegasus? And how come I'm staying up to god know what hour and having to think of all this grown-up stuff that gives me an awful headache and a weird feeling in my gut? It's so not fair! He curled up into a ball, his small body shaking. Why can't Seto and I be normal? I bet normal kids only have to worry about bullies and whether Mom is trying to slip tofu into their food again... He growled in aggravation as he threw a pillow against the far wall, and slammed the other one over his head. Good night, Brain! I'm going to sleep, so stop thinking! He whined plaintively as he started to drift off into slumber land, the troubles temporarily taking flight to wait until the first light of day. 


	3. Of Nightmares and Imagination

It was another beautiful day, and finally Seto gave himself a day off! Sun is shining, birds are singing, and he's being tickled mercilessly by his older brother, what more would he want? Well, perhaps a double scoop of ice cream covered with hot fudge and caramel dabbed with crumbled up cookie crumbs, but that's not the point. The point was that his brother was playing with him, and had left that godforsaken briefcase at home. Briefcases are the work of the Devil, or so Mokuba thought.  
  
They stopped playing as they saw Yugi and his friends come over, Mokuba's heart sank, he knew that there would always be fighting whenever His brother meets with Yugi's group, mostly between Seto and that stupid Joey Wheeler; Seto's right, he is a dog. He started to walk off to a little ways off so he can avoid hearing the ranting dog.  
  
There was silence, no screaming, no 'Stop calling me a puppy!' or 'Down boy!' or 'Can't we all just get along', Just quiet. He spun around, trying to make sense of the eerie lack of noise, after all if you're referring to Yugi and friends, you know that noise is abound, and add Seto to mix, there's a literal scream match waiting to happen.  
  
All of them were gone! They simply vanished into the air! Wait... someone's coming, who were they? Seto, and Yugi! Yami's also there... Weird, Why is Yami showing himself now? I thought that Yami only showed himself to Yugi... I saw him outside of Yugi's body by accident that one time, so he knows it's not wroth the trouble of hiding if I came onto them... but why is he showing himself to my brother? They hate each other!  
  
"Seto, Yugi! What's going on? Where did anyone go?!" Mokuba cried out, running for them, finding his had started to become heavy as cement.  
  
"Gone." Yugi answered his voice was flat and expressionless, just like the blank glassy look in his eyes.  
  
"Where though?! Seto, what is going on?! Please answer me!" Mokuba pleaded, grabbing for their hands, but found them to be withdrawing into the shadows. "No! Come Back! Please Come Back! Don't Leave Me Alone!"  
  
"What's the matter, Little Boy? Afraid of being abandoned?" A sickeningly familiar voice laughed in his ear, the voice was like fermented peaches, vile and sweet, completely sickening, and intoxicating, and no matter how much he hated the voice he doesn't want to stop listening to it.  
  
Mokuba stifled a cry as an awful gold light blinded him. It wasn't warm or pleasant, despite its sun-like hue, it rivaled the chill winds of the arctic winters, freezing blood and soul, sowing despair and reaping hopelessness from the boy; only one thing had this affect on him....  
  
"Don't worry Kaiba-Boy... I'll take prefect care of you..." Pegasus cooed as he scooped the young Kaiba in his arms. "After all, who would take care of you now? They will never come back."  
  
"Not True!" Mokuba sobbed, unable to convince himself. "You're lying! What did you do to them?!"  
  
"Nothing, Mokuba, they said they were fed up with dealing with a little brat like you. Such a shame isn't it, but your mine now." He threw his head back laughing as Mokuba screamed.  
  
He keep screaming even while inhuman beasts yanked him from the man's arms, screaming while they dragged into the darkness, screaming while Pegasus watched.  
  
Screaming while he shook him... Wait, Where was here? Mokuba blinked as he stared into icy eyes that in ways differed and much agreed with his own. What the hell...?  
  
"Mokuba! You were having a nightmare!" Seto explained, as he pulled his little brother close to him in a crushing embrace. "Ssshh... It's all right now... I'm here, there's nothing that will get you, Shhhh... there, there, I'm here, I'm not leaving your side, calm down, it was just a bad dream, and nothing else." He whispered, rocking gently as he rubbed his little brother's back, as Mokuba sobbed and hiccuped into his silk PJ's, his throat torn from the screams he let out.  
  
"Oh god... Don't ever leave me!" Mokuba shivered cuddling closer to his brother. "Just... Don't Ever Abandoned Me!"  
  
"That bad? I promise that I won't do such a thing." The older brother whispered as he pulled Mokuba onto his lap, cradling him.  
  
For nearly a half hour, nothing more is said, the brothers just taking comfort in each other, Seto humming a soft melody that they both long since forgotten name and words to it, only that it was a shred of memory from their real parents. His tired and frightened mind started to calm down, letting serenity and imagination take over.  
  
He could imagine this, Seto cradling him just like this under the big shady oak in the park, a perfect day, and that school got canceled. Then his imagination danced around again, with Yugi kneeling next to Seto, both talking amiably like life-long friends, that would've been even better... even better when Yugi pulled him into a great hug, not too loose, not too tight, and not too stiffly, and cuddling close as well as hugging. And then a kiss, a quick little peck on the cheek, like he used to give to his brother before going off to school, and then a real kiss, just like the ones that the princes give to the princesses in those animated movies...  
  
A soft sound startled Mokuba out of his train of thought as he looked up, seeing those blue eyes fluttered close, as Seto's breathing started to lighten. He stifled a giggle as Seto started to whistle slightly as he dozed off; It was funny, the lullaby was for him, but it was his big brother that falls asleep! Well... admittedly, he's feeling tired as his brother, with a mumbled prayer to whoever would listen, and snuggled against his brother to sleep again.  
  
A loud obnoxious buzzing startled the boys into the waking world. Mokuba swore that he would murder the inventor the alarm clock while Seto nearly passed out from panic.  
  
"Damn! I slept in, Mokuba, we better hurry or I'll be late!" The older Kaiba bolted from his bed, and dashed to his bedroom, while mumbling under his breath about teachers and water buckets, whatever that means.  
  
With a loud moan of dismay, he shuffled to his dresser, wondering why, oh why can't everyday be Saturday or Sunday. He hated his uniform, absolutely hated it, it reminded him too much of a duck, especially when it rains and he has to use the regulated yellow umbrella as well. He gets so sick of the adults cooing and saying 'Awww... make way for the ducklings!' Only girls and babies are supposed to be cute! It's just revolting.  
  
"Seto, what about breakfast?" He cried out as Seto bolted out the front door, and out of habit slamming it shut. "I think he's gonna be late no matter how fast he runs...." He sighed as he poured himself a bowl of raisin bran, it wasn't the colorful sugary breakfast one expects a little kid to eat, but it was still good, and he quickly finished it.  
  
"Good grief... He forgot his briefcase!" Mokuba yelped seeing the object in question lying on the entryway table. "He'll be in trouble for sure! But the chauffeur doesn't come here until after school, well, can't do anything about it, so I might as well get ready myself." He shrugged as he grabbed his yellow school cap and duck-yellow backpack, and stuffed it with his homework and sketchbook; which Seto got for him after numerous complaints of him doodling on schoolwork by the teachers and zipped the bag closed. He skipped out of the house, closing the door behind him, and joined the entourage of similarly dressed children on their regulated route to school.  
  
Throughout the day, Mokuba just could not concentrate on school, he spent most of his day doodling and day-dreaming; luckily the one time he was called on, he unwittingly gave the right answer, though the math teacher was concerned by the distracted look in his eye. Or was he concerned that Mokuba actually didn't scowl the answer out with a look that reads 'Buzz off'?  
  
He doodled many things, he drew monsters of all shape and sizes, some from duel monsters, some from imagination, all much more exciting then homonyms and antonyms. Other times his brother, Yugi, and other people graced the papers, laughing in ecosystems and predator's faces, sometimes he placed himself, with Seto, with the blue eyes, or increasingly through the hours, Yugi. Standing, sitting with each other, even in one sketch hugging and laughing. Though not as good as Seto's drawings by far, his sketches read the expressions clearly, as he started to write more then doodle. Not anything productive of course, his mind simply would not allowed it.  
  
'Mokuba + Yugi, Yugi + Mokuba, I luv Yugi, does Yugi like me?'..... Yeah, I got it bad, I hope no one looks in here! They'll be dead if they tried! Hmm... What should I do? Hey, Sage knows everything, and he doesn't laugh at anyone, I can ask him! Mokuba smiled to himself, waiting desperately for recess so he can asked the sagely Sage for advice. What a time for time to play it's tricks of relativity, for what seemed like a gazillion years to him, the clock slowly crawled up to the hour of eating.  
  
"Yes!" he yelled cheerfully as he sprang from the desk as the ring of the lunch bell temporarily relieved the students from their work, and they bolted for the door. The raven-haired Kaiba managed to get to the playground before the teachers could get him in trouble for yelling. "Sage! Hey Sage, I wish to talk to you." He called out to the golden-locked boy under the tree.  
  
"What is Mokuba?" He asked as he puts down his comic book, his glasses glistening in the light, the glare hiding his pale lavender eyes. Eyes only a few shades lighter then Yugi's... The sky-eyed boy realized that fact as he gulped, fighting a blush. "Well?"  
  
"Well Sage..." He trailed off, flustering as he weave his fingers together. "Since you know a lot of things..." He mumbled, the kneeled in front of Sage, he clasped his hands over his head as he bow slightly. "Please don't tell anyone about this, or else I'll get wedgied for a week!" He pleaded, looking up at Sage with Bambi eyes.  
  
"All right, I promise on my comic book collection that I won't tell." Sage smiled in a soothing manner. Sage Minotsu, the twelve-year-old comic book collector, advisor for the forlorn and the human confession booth leaned against the tree, nodding for Mokuba to begin.  
  
"You see... I really, really like someone can I don't know what to do about it, I mean, I don't think this person knows it, and I don't know how this person feels...." He explained avoiding gender pronouns and other references on purpose. If the other kids find out about this... He'll be humiliated until he's an old man!  
  
"Ah, another crush scenario, well then Mokuba, there's a few things you can do..." Sage waved a finger, his brain going over suspects as he watched the younger boy shifted his weight uncomfortably. "One, you can wait it out, if it's a crush, it'll be gone say in a few weeks, or a couple of months."  
  
"No! It's not a crush!" Mokuba exclaimed, slamming a hand against the hard ground.  
  
"Yea, I believe you." Sage responded coolly, that kind of denial was all too common. After all, 'crushes are for sissies and girls', so quoted the very boy who stood in front of him asking for advice. "Well then... This what I would recommend...." He motioned for Mokuba to lean in closer. "First you..." He whispered into the boy's ear of all the secrets he learned from observing others, though in his mind he had a feeling that Mokuba's situation wasn't quite normal. 


	4. Candy Bribes

Note: Sorry, life got in the way. ~~~  
  
What a day... Mokuba moaned as he sprawled on the couch (well, as much as his small body allows) as he hung up the phone, his uniform draping over the coffee table. Not only did Seto get detention for missing first period (which was taught by a teacher that everyone he knows calls "Mr. Satan"), but he also had to do overtime at work. And worse, He got a fifteen question pre-algebra homework, and he had fallen asleep in during math!  
  
Well, no use fussing over homework when one's not focused on it, that's what Seto tells me, though that doesn't mean I can escape doing it. Mokuba thought to himself as he pulls out a sheet of paper, rubbing the pencil against his chin. Let's see what Sage said to do... He thought as he wrote down the list the best as he could recollect it.  
  
After Mokuba wrote it down, the list look something like this:  
  
1. Don't be obvious. People get scared if people like them too much. (Sounds like Seto, Mokuba thought to himself.). If it sounds very romantic to admit your love to someone in your mind, chances are, it freaks the person out.  
  
2. Be nice, but don't push it. Again, don't be obvious, be as polite as possible, but don't send them flowers. Occasional candy bars do nicely. (Does Yugi prefer plain chocolate or ones with nuts in them? Mokuba asked himself as he looked over it.)  
  
3. Try not to blush, or get puppy-dog-eyed. People tend to think there's something wrong with you. (Easier said then done.)  
  
4. Eventually you have to tell them. Make sure they are in a good mood, and alone. A big mistake is telling it in public places; it embarrasses them. Also, watch what you say.  
  
5. If they don't share the feelings, don't feel too bad. Have a Cookie, or Ice Cream, and play video games. Do whatever feels good, you will have a shattered heart, don't think too much on it, or it gets worse. It wasn't to be.  
  
Mokuba pushed the list into his binder after checking over it once or twice, wondering how Sage became so smart about things like this. But right now, Mokuba wished he were smart enough to do his homework, or have Seto here to help him understand.  
  
Speaking of that... It's way too quiet here, and empty... This will drive me nuts, and I'll never able to finish my homework! And well, it is a nice day, maybe I can go outside and do my homework, it'll sure beat staying inside this big empty house... Mokuba paused, shuddering at some memories that had flashed through his mind. I hate this house... With Seto around, it's sorta okay, but alone... brrr... I keep thinking HE will come around yelling and screeching at us....  
  
He sprung up from the couch, clutching his math book, his sketchbook, and notebook, entering the kitchen. He snuck a few candy bars out of the treat jar (which Seto set up for the "Sugar rush" for long study nights and Seto's always getting after him for stealing from it), and stuffed them in a canvas bag, being careful not to crush the snickers. He considered borrowing his brother's MP3 player, but decided against it, partially because he does not favor the techno, trance and industrial his brother loves but mostly because he doesn't want to accidentally lose it-sure Seto can buy another one without flinching, but that's not the point.  
  
With that, Mokuba adjusted his striped T-shirt, slinging the bag over his shoulder as he exited the house; locking it behind him. He strolled leisurely to the park, being careful to obey all pedestrian rules because he knows very well that students were judge also on how they behaved in public after school's out. Something having to do with school reputation or proper child rearing or some silly adult nonsense that Mokuba didn't even try to comprehend.  
  
Hey, Why should I even be bothering with that junk? After all, I'm just a kid with a mission... scratch that, that sounded really stupid. I wondered if Yugi will be there at the park, he usually is... along with his friends. Mokuba paused, forcing his mind to onto the streets rather then Yugi with that statement.  
  
Soon the boy found himself in the large and spacious park, scanning over the soft rolling hills for signs of life.  
  
Whooosh! A near hit-and-fly incident with a Frisbee proved that indeed there is life in the park.  
  
"Sorry about that!" Joey shouted as he rushed over, picking up the object in question. "Eh? What are you doing here? Ain't you suppose to be home?" He questioned, cocking his head slightly,  
  
"Can't concentrate at home." He replied simply as he found a nice leafy elm tree and sat beneath it, pulling out his math book.  
  
"Hello Mokuba, Need any help with your homework?" A soft gentle voice asked as he felt someone settling next to him.  
  
"Well, sorta..." The stormy-eyed boy replied slowly as he looked out the corner of his eye, first focusing on the light blue collar around the boy's then, then soft rose-tinted lips, large innocent-looking amethyst eyes, and finally that unmistakable spike of tricolor hair.  
  
"Hm, Percentages, that always gave me problems when I was your age until Grandpa showed me a trick to make it easier." Yugi stated as he looked over the younger boy's shoulder, feeling for him, after all as he said, once upon a time, that was impossible for him.  
  
"What's the trick?" Mokuba asked softly, telling himself not to focus on Yugi but on the homework instead.  
  
"Well you see. wait, do you have to show your work in your class? Some teachers are very strict about that while others are more lax about the rules." The diminutive teen shrugged, rubbing his chin in thought.  
  
"Well, she's kinda strict about it for most people, but she kinda loosens up on the rules with me and a few others." He responded as he looks at the dizzying numbers and symbols, and wondered who was the fucking idiot that decided to complicate the world with such crap.  
  
"Okay then. You see, basically it's just like multiplying, except you." He leaned over, gently grasping Mokuba's pencil, and wrote down the first question, and then guided the smaller hand over the simplified steps of the problem, telling him what they're doing. "And that's how you do it. I had to get it to where I can do it in my head, because I end up helping my grandpa run the shop alot." He smiled, shrugging his shoulders as he leaned against the tree.  
  
"Thanks! It makes sense now. Oh, want this?" He exclaimed as he pulled a chocolate bar out of the knapsack, and handed it to Yugi, trying not to blush when his fingers brushes against the amethyst-eyed boy.  
  
"Thank you!" Yugi chirped as he immediately nibbled on the treat, smiling happily.  
  
//Allowing yourself to be bribed with sweets?// A cool voice whispered in the Hikari's mind.  
  
/Nuh-uh, consider it payment, I help him, he gives me candy./ Yugi giggled gleefully as he munched on the junk food.  
  
//Sugar-addict.// Yami snickered quietly at how quickly his other half can get hyper.  
  
/You like chocolate too./ A mock pout, the type that the Pharaoh finds completely irresistible.  
  
//I do, Partner, especially when it's draped down your--//  
  
/Not Now!/ The young man yelped, trying to fight back a furious blush, and a whirl of vivid imaginary. /I am sitting next to a kid for crissakes! I don't want to scare him!/  
  
All he got in response was a sharp bark of laughter.  
  
"Yugi?" Mokuba tilted his head, staring up at the older boy, intrigued by the odd expression on his face? It looks like he's embarrassed, but why?  
  
"Oh just something My other half says, he can be rather crass at times, surprisingly." He shook his head in a sheepish manner.  
  
"Okay." He giggled, placing a hand over his mouth, not aware what was the content of the little exchange.  
  
After the initial embarrassment passed, they continued on looking over the pre-teen's homework, and sharing the candy between them. They also discussed topics ranging from math to Duel Monsters and to, oddly enough, the feeding habits of illegally kept snakes in Norway (though one has to seriously wonder how they got to that topic.). After what seem like only minutes past, Mokuba checked his watched and realized he's been out for two complete hours.  
  
"Oh my gosh! I didn't mean to be out for this long!" The black-haired boy yipped as he sprung to his feet. "Nii-Sama is going to be so worry!"  
  
"Really has it been that long?" The Dueling champion blinked as he looked at his own watch.  
  
"Wow! It has, hasn't it? It looks like the guys went home already." Yugi got up and helped the boy put his things into the bag. "I think I should walk you home, it is getting somewhat late."  
  
"You don't have to, I can take the bus home or even hire a taxi." Mokuba wave him off half-heartedly, though he personally really enjoyed the ideal.  
  
"I insist, I would feel awful if something did happen to you." Yugi shook off the dismissal.  
  
"Well... if you insist on doing so, then sure, you can go ahead." He grinned practically from ear to ear, slinging the bag over his shoulders as the two walked to his house. 


	5. The Talk

Why I wrote this chappie the way it is:  
  
I like messing with Seto's head, and... My muses want me to lead this story to a certain conclusion. *mutter* Hentai muses.  
  
But, even though one expects crude language in this, I'm refraining from it, I don't want to have to jack up the rating more. ~~~  
  
Seto ran his fingers through his red-brown locks, taking in a deep breath as he picked up the list he found on the coffee table, it was obviously his little brother's handwriting, only he would put the extra curl in the uppercase 'G'.  
  
Is Mokuba finally noticing other people in that way? Or is he trying to tell me something? Feh, as if he tries to convince to go out with someone after my constant resistance to his little matchmaking schemes in the past. Seto sighed as he shook his head, perhaps he's going have to give Mokuba the 'talk' he's been dreading since his brother turned eleven last year.  
  
After all, if he can't quite handle reading about it, how in the world is he going to survive trying to explain to Mokuba about the birds and bees? Knowing himself, he thinks he'll probably slip up in just the right places to traumatize the poor kid.  
  
"Oh! Hi Nii-san! I didn't think you would be home early!" The soft cheerful voiced called out as the older Kaiba heard the door swung open, and then slammed onto its hinges.  
  
"I got work done early, uhm...." He trailed off, not sure how to start. "Mokuba, I think we need to talk." Seto started, his expression drawn up in absolute embarrassment, he can feel his cheeks burning, he hope his voice didn't sound weak.  
  
"Oh... Okay, what do you want to talk about?" He asked, his stormy eyes slightly wide with surprise and confusion... Seto's blushing! He has never... ever seen his cheek turn shell-pink, let alone the brilliant scarlet he is sporting now that clashed terribly with his hair.  
  
What were they going to talk about that would be so embarrassing? The raven- haired teen asked himself, then felt a strange giddiness as he tried to guess what it was before his brother could open his mouth. Did he finally find someone who can make him happy?! If that's it, then that's great! Maybe Seto's embarrassed because it's a guy, or just unusual? Well, Nii- Sama, I don't care who it is, as long as they treat you well.  
  
"Well, little brother, I've been noticing you were coming to a certain age...." He groaned inwardly, being reminded of the cheesy sex education movies from the 50's that health class showed as a demonstration of how sexuality had evolved over time. "I mean, to be blunt...."  
  
"We're going to talk about sex, right? How two people fuck, am I correct?" Mokuba responded, trying to hide slight disappointed, after all, according to him, he thinks his brother should be spending his free time with either him or some lucky fellow, not at work.  
  
"Mokuba!" Seto shouted, finding that somehow he could blush even more as he slapped a hand over his face, shutting his crystalline blue eyes tightly. "Please don't use such language... All right, tell me what you know." He sighed wistfully, immediately regretting his question.  
  
And regret it he did, for his brother gave him brutally honest answers of what he knew, and what he think he did, in such language that would even make a seasoned U.S Marine faint with horror, let alone a seventeen-year old with very little non-business social skills.  
  
Oh why, oh why did he have to phrase the question like that? The brunette bemoaned, shaking his head wildly at some of the...ahem... creative word choice and description.  
  
"All right, enough, I see you know the... physical aspect of it, may I ask where?" Seto raised a hand, cutting Mokuba off in mid-sentence.  
  
"Health Class, Basho's dishoueniji." He shrugged, then immediately wanted to kick himself for mentioning the last part.  
  
"One of your friends has been exposing you pornography?!" Yup, Mokuba really shouldn't have mention that as the elder Kaiba nearly hit the roof as his eyebrows shot straight up. Shit, if something isn't done, Seto would certainly try to kill the said friend.  
  
"It's not pornography, honest! It's just a bit... graphic-intensive." He muttered weakly. Okay, stupid argument Mokuba... better think of something different! "I mean, I just caught him with it one time, he tried to bribe me not to tell the teacher by showing me what he was looking at."  
  
"'Tried'?"  
  
"He got caught any ways." The younger brother shrugged as he brushed black locks from his slate-toned eyes.  
  
"Serves him right." Seto snorted, his arms going across the slender torso, and then lean forward in the armchair. "Mokuba, the reason I was trying to talk to you about is because I've noticed you have been starting to pay attention to other people in certain way...." He immediately clamed up, hoping to whatever deity that existed that it didn't turned out as dirty as he thought it did.  
  
"Oh... yea... guess I'm kinda doing that... haven't been paying much attention... I guess." He fibbed partially, it was his turn to be uncomfortable and in the hot seat.  
  
Oh god, please don't let him ask me if I like someone! The pre-teen pleaded in his mind, he could just picture his Oniisan overreacting to it and take the whole thing negatively.  
  
"Mokuba, is there someone you have in mind? You look as though you are nervous." Seto asked softly as he places a hand on his little brother's slender shoulder.  
  
"I... I don't think I'm ready to tell." His breath hitches as he turned away, blushing softly.  
  
"I don't care if it is a man, Mokuba, if that is what you are worried about." His expression grew uncharacteristically soft as he pulled Mokuba into a firm, but gentle embrace, as if to reassure of what he was saying was true. The brunette nuzzled against his little brother's thick, silky jet hair, unconsciously pulling him closer.  
  
He actually had mixed feelings on this, part of him is happy that Mokuba is growing up and seeing interest in the world beyond them and games. However, there's another part of him that wanted to keep his little brother close to him for the rest of their lives and never out of his sight for even a second.  
  
"Uh... Big Brother... Air." The younger boy gasp quietly. Though he liked Seto being affectionate like this, but even he needed to breathe.  
  
"Sorry, kiddo." He apologized sheepishly, and slowly let go of him. "Well then, I think it's late enough that we should find something to eat, okay?" Seto asked after several minutes of uncomfortable and complete silence.  
  
"Okay, how about Italian?" Mokuba beamed in an attempt to hide the tension in the air.  
  
"Sounds good." Seto shrugged. "Should we order take-out or go to a restaurant?"  
  
"I don't think they do take out for Italian." Mokuba scrunched his faced into a thoughtful expression. "How about going to that Peacock's Banquet that opened last month? I heard it's good."  
  
"All right then, go upstairs and get ready, It's a suit and tie place." Seto chuckled as he gently pushed his brother towards the stairs.  
  
Maybe I should cut down on my work, It'll probably do good to see my brother a bit more often during this time, the older brother told himself as he watched the beautiful dark hair sway with every movement his little brother made.  
  
"God, I'll miss him when he moves out...." Seto whispered to himself, shaking his head slowly as his sapphire eyes slid shut.  
  
"What was that Nii-san?"  
  
"Nothing, let's get out to the limousine before it gets too late." Seto redirected his brother's attention as they entered the awaiting automobile, and drove off into the night. 


End file.
